Electric timepiece contact bridge



Nov. 13, 1962 H. s. DETWILER 3,063,234

ELECTRIC TIMEPIECE CONTACT BRIDGE Filed Feb. 25, 1957 INVENTOR HARRY S.DETWILER ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,063,234 ELECTRIC TIMEPIECECONTACT BRIDGE Harry S. Detwiler, Lancaster, Pa., assignor to HamiltonWatch Company, Lancaster, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed Feb.26, 1957, Ser. No. 642,541 11 Claims. (Cl. 58--28) This inventionrelates to a contact system supported on a bridge for an electric watch.

In electric watches where one side of the circuit is grounded, it isnecessary to have the contact system completely insulated from thepillar plate and the remaining works of the watch and yet so positionedthat it may be quickly accessible for adjustment or replacement.

It is an object of this invention to provide a bridge which can bequickly and easily removed and which supports the contact system,insulated from the bridge and the remainder of the watch in such amanner that it is easily accessible for adjustment or replacement.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a bridge,supporting a pair of vertically adjustable frictionally held postsadapted to support adjustably rotatable collets carrying the contactmaking springs, and to support said posts in a manner so as to preventshortcircuiting the contact system carried by the posts.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying draw ing, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a top plan view of the bridge showing a portion of thecarrying contact.

FIGURE 2 is a section on line 2-2 of FIGURE 1.

The bridge 12 is illustrated as substantially triangular shaped having apair of pins 14 for locating and positioning the bridge on the watchproper, and a hole 15 receiving a hole down screw (not shown). The pinsare friction fitted into holes 16. Substantially central of the bridgeare a pair of holes 18 carrying insulated bushings 20 in which aremounted posts 22 and 24.

These posts are formed with shoulders 26 and 28 respectively on whichare seated collets 30 and 32. The collet 30 has a rectangular shapedslot 34 for the reception of a rectangular shaped (in cross-section)contact spring 36. The collet 32 is similarly formed with a rectangulargroove 38 for the reception of a trip spring member 40.

At a point in the length of the contact spring 36 and the trip springmember 40 the contact spring 36 and the spring member 40 contact eachother. At that point a retainer 42 carried by the trip spring 40encloses the contact spring 36. This engagement places stress on each ofthese members and this amount of stress is exceptionally important inmaking the correct contact pressure for the operation of the watch. Itis therefore necessary to adjust the relative positions of the contactspring 36 and the trip spring member 40 by turning the collets 30 and 32on the pins 22 or 24 respectively. Slot 31 and 33 in the collets 30 and32 respectively are adapted to receive a screw-driver so they may bereadily turned. This adjustment is extremely critical to the properfunction and smooth performance of the watch.

There is another adjustment necessary to keep the contacts in positionwhich is made by bending the pins 22 and 24. This adjustment is tomaintain the contacts so that the longer vertical portion(cross-section) of the contact spring member and the longer verticalportion (cross-section) of the trip spring member remain substantiallyparallel to each other. To provide for this adjustment the post 22 isprovided with an extension 48 projecting above the collet 30 for thereception of a socket member which can be put over the end 48 and byexerting sidewise pressure, bend the post 22 to provide for thesubstantially parallel arrangement of the long ice sides of springs 36and 40. The extension 48 is formed with a groove 50 for the positive,insulated wire from a battery not shown, the negative side of thebattery being grounded to the watch.

The bridge 12 must be capable of supporting the posts 22 and 24 inupright position and frictionally holding the bushings 20- and yetpermit the rotation of the friction fitting collets 30 and 32 and thebending of the post 22. The tolerance maintained must be in the natureof .0001".

The bridge 12 is fitted into place and a screw in the hole 15 holds itsecurely. The posts 22 and 24 are vertically adjusted in the bushings 20to align the contact spring and the trip spring at the proper height toengage the contact carried by the balance wheel. The collets are thenrotated to cause the contact spring and trip spring to engage each otherwith the proper stress so that the pressure beween the balance wheelcarried contact and the end of the spring contact will be equal duringthe contact making period. The contact spring and the trip spring arealigned so that their long sides are parallel. These adjustments areextremely critical.

The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departingfrom the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The presentembodiments are therefore to be considered in all respects asillustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention beingindicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoingdescription and all changes which come within the meaning and range ofequivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by the United States LettersPatent is:

1. In a battery operated electric watch, a contact supporting bridgecomprising a body portion, insulating means carried by said bodyportion, vertically adjustable supports mounted in said insulatingmeans, a first contact spring carrier on one of said supports, a secondspring carrier on the other of said supports, a first contact springcarried by said first contact spring carrier and a second springengageable with said first contact spring carried by said second springcarrier.

2. A battery operated electric watch according to claim 1 in which thefirst contact spring carrier and the second spring carrier are rotatablyadjustable to adjust the contact pressure between said first contactspring and said second spring.

3. In a battery operated electric watch, a contact sup porting bridgecomprising a substantially triangular shaped body portion, meanspositioning said body portion in proper location to the rest of thewatch, insulating bushings carried by said body portion, postsfrictionally held in said bushing to permit vertical adjustment, colletscar ried by said posts, means providing rotational adjustment of saidcollets on said posts, a first spring contact carried by one of saidcollets and a second spring engageable with said first spring contactcarried by the other of said collets.

4. An electric timepiece including a contact-supporting bridge; aplurality of electrically insulating supports frie tionally mounted onsaid bridge; a contact spring carried by one of said supports; a secondspring engageable with said contact spring and carried by a second oneof said supports; the friction mounting of said supports permittinglongitudinal adjustment of said supports in a direction normal to saidbridge to permit variation in the distance separating said springs andsaid bridge.

5. An electric timepiece as defined in claim 4 wherein said frictionmounting of said supports also permits their rotation about theirlongitudinal axes to permit variation of the tension upon said contactspring.

6. A contact system for an electric timepiece comprising acontact-supporting bridge; a plurality of electrically insulatingsupports frictionally mounted on said bridge; a contact spring carriedby one of said supports; a second spring engageable with said contactspring and carried by a second one of said supports; the frictionmounting of said supports permitting longitudinal adjustment of saidsupports in a direction normal to said bridge to permit variation in thedistance separating said springs and said bridge.

7. An electric timepiece including a contact-supporting bridge; aplurality of electrically insulating supports carried by said bridge;each of said electrically insulating supports comprising an insulatingbushing mounted on said bridge, a post frictionally mounted in saidinsulating bushing, and a mounting sleeve secured on said post; anelongated contact spring supported by one of said mounting sleeves insubstantially parallel relationship to said bridge; a second elongatedspring engageable with said contact spring and carried by a second oneof said mounting sleeves in substantially parallel relationship to saidcontact spring; said supports being vertically adjustable relative tosaid bridge to permit adjustment in the distance betwen said bridge andsaid springs; and at least one of said electrically insulating supportsbeing rotatable about its longitudinal axis to permit variation in thetension upon said contact spring.

8. A timepiece as defined in claim 7 wherein said mounting sleeves areslotted to provide means to rotate them about the longitudinal axis ofsaid posts.

9. An electric timepiece including a contact-supporting bridge; anelongated contact spring; a second elongated spring engageable with saidcontact spring; electrically insulating support means supporting saidcontact spring and said second spring on said bridge and insubstantially parallel relationship to said bridge and to one another;the portion of at least one of said contact and second springs which isattached to said support means being pivotable about a vertical axis topermit variation of the Lat tension upon said contact spring; saidcontact and second springs being further adjustable in a directionnormal to said bridge to permit adjustment in the distance between saidbridge and said springs.

10. A timepiece as defined in claim 9 wherein said electricallyinsulating support means includes two posts, on

one of which said contact spring is mounted and on the other of whichsaid second spring is mounted; said posts being constructed of readilybendable material to permit them to be bent transversely of theirlongitudinal axes for varying the position of said springs.

11. A contact system for an electric timepiece comprising acontact-supporting bridge; an elongated contact spring; a secondelongated spring engageable with said contact spring; electricallyinsulating support means supporting said contact spring and said secondspring on said bridge and in substantially parallel relationship to saidbridge and to one another; the portion of at least one of said contactand second springs which is attached to said support means beingpivotable about a vertical axis to permit variation of the tension uponsaid contact spring; said contact and second springs being furtheradjustable in a direction normal to said bridge to permit adjustment inthe distance between said bridge and said springs.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS632,128 Krahenbuhl Aug. 29, 1899 2,377,276 Sperry et a1 May 29, 19452,685,164 Grillet et a1 Aug. 3, 1954 2,806,908 Van Horn et al Sept. 17,1957 2,883,827 Ensign et al Apr. 28, 1959 FOREIGN PATENTS 549,785 FranceNov. 28, 1922 165,203 Switzerland Feb. 1, 1934

